Gaijin is about to add submarines and I just had this weird dream of a carrier strike group vs carrier strike group battle in War Thunder with some RTS style mechanics so I might as well make a post about it. I know alot of people hate carriers in world of warships, especially with the action rework, but imagine CVs being added to War Thunder the right way with another game mode where players can bring an escorting ship and aircraft or the CV itself. Players would be able to switch view to an aircraft when they're not providing any input to their ship. For the map, it would be something like Norway or bigger where the full size of the map is used. Sinking an enemy carrier deducts the majority of the their tickets, sinking two ends the battle.

Prep, 1 minute

At the start of the battle, each CV would choose a location for the fleet and send out planes to search for the enemy fleet. Players could choose to send out AI planes or control one themselves. This is also when players could choose to send out submarines and surface forces to intercept the enemy fleet. The accuracy of the enemy fleet's location, heading, and speed would be determined by the CV's crew skills and positioning of the search.

Enemy Fleet Located, 3 minutes

Now is the time to launch planes and update advancing submarine and surface forces to engage the enemy. Players can switch to the plane they brought and launch off the CV when it's their turn. The CV player would also have a large number of AI squadrons to send out. Once all of the planes have launched, another cutscene would skip time to when they arrive at their targets.

1st Strike, 5 - 8 minutes

This is the first fight to take place, and it would occur at the scene of the carrier strike group that was spotted first. There will be enemy submarines and ~70 - 100 aircraft looking to sink the carrier. The defending CV's job is to launch CAP fighters to intercept the strike. The escorts must fire AA guns manually or switch view to a CAP fighter to shoot down enemy planes while their ship's AA guns fire inaccurately. Should any submarines get close enough, within 8 km let's say, the entire defending fleet will get a notification and anyone who brought a destroyer can go and engage them. All this will happen as aircraft dive down to make attack runs.

2nd Strike, 5 - 8 minutes

Now the defenders are the attackers. The same rules apply as for the 1st strike, but the battle takes place at the scene of the carrier strike group that was spotted second.

Surface Battle, 5 minutes

As the strike groups return to their carriers, the surface forces that were sent out will come into contact with one another in open water. This battle will be similar to current naval RB battles. Any player whose ship is not involved in this battle can play as a plane. The carrier players can choose to either send out a strike on the incoming enemy surface ships or the enemy carrier group, and then join the fight here as a single plane. Any ships that make it to a designated point within 5 minutes will continue towards the enemy carrier fleet.

Special Scene: CV Strikes Surviving Enemy Surface Ships, 5 minutes

This scene only appears if one team's CV was sunk and the other's survived in the first exchanged strikes. 15 player controlled & ~40 - 65 CV player controlled attack aircraft strike whatever is left of the enemy who's CV was sunk. If any enemy ships somehow survive this attack, they'll go straight into the final fight and most likely be sunk there.

Final Fight Pt 1, 8 minutes

Surface ships vs enemy carrier group. Players may or may not have to deal with attacking aircraft depending on what the enemy CV does. Everyone can do an airstrike before firing their guns.

Final Fight Pt 2, 8 minutes

Same thing as part 1, but switched roles. This will be a very rare scene, simply because the battle time should be kept below 40 minutes, and both CV players will be inclined to invest their airstrikes in the Final Fight Pt 1.

The CV player's skill in sending out the strike determines whether it hits the forward surface forces or the carrier group. They can't actually see where the enemy surface forces or carrier groups will be, all they get is an approximate speed and heading. This means it's possible for them to mess up and get no attacking airstrike scene for their team at all if their planes don't come within a certain distance of enemy ships. CV players have many opportunities to change the fleet's heading, but the enemy CV will always get the most recent data when they do an airstrike, so it's impossible to "dodge" enemy airstrikes or submarines.

Anyway that's my idea, let me know what you guys think.